Machine for operating on soles



Dec. 20, 1932. F. D. KINNEY MACHINE FOR OPERATING ON SOLES Filed Dec. 6, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. D IN MACHINE FOR OPERATING ON SOLES Filed Dec. 6, 1928 3 SheetsShee t 2 Fig; 3 gig ll lm Y Dec. 20, 1932. F. D. KINNEY MACHINE FOR OPERATING ON SOLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 6, 1928 Patented Dec.'20, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE FAY D. KINNEY, OF WENHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHIN- ERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY MACHINE FOB OPERATING ON SOLE-S Application filed December 6, 1928.

"1 mary to press or close the cemented marginal edges of the sole into intimate contact with the upper or with a strip of rubber foXing which may have been laid about the edge of the upper. Heretofore, the operation of closing the sole margin has been carried out by the use of a handrolling tool or by a machine driven roller to which the operator has progressively presented the shoe by hand. It is usually desired to produce the appearance of a line of stitches along the margin of the sole which overlaps the upper and this is commonly effected by employing a serrated wheel for the edge closing operation. Consequently, both operations are often referred to as the stitching operation and the tool employed as a stitch wheel. Carried out in the manner above outlined, this operation requires considerable skill on the part of the operator in guiding the stitch wheel so that the line produced will be close to and just within the marginal edge of the sole. It is important also that no portion of the margin should be left unclosed for if such defect is not detected until after the shoe has been vulcanized. it is difficult to repair. Moreover, since shoes of this character are usually made upon metallic lasts. the labor of presenting a lasted shoe by hand to a stitching wheel, or of holding a lasted shoe while running a hand stitching wheel about its margin, is arduous and exacting for the operator. d

An object of the present invention is to provide a machine for automatically closing or stitching the marginal edges of shoes having rubber or rubberized soles, so organized that the operator will be called upon only to place the lasted shoe upon a jack or support and wherein the closing or stitching operation will be effected accurately, completely and uniformly, and without the necessity of skilled Serial No. 324,242.

manipulation. To this end, an important feature of the invention consists in the combination of a relatively movable shoe support and tool, the tool being shaped for engagement with the sole edge within the crease between the sole edge and the adjacent portion of the upper and arranged progressively to engage and close the marginal edge of the sole as relative movement is effected between them.

In view of the changes in curvature of a sole edge, I have found it highly desirable to utilize a tool mounted to turn in contact with the sole and shaped with particular reference to the contour of the sole. Accordingly, another feature of the invention consists in a tool having its periphery curved irregularly, successive portions thereof being shaped for operation on. corresponding successive portions of the sole edge.

As herein shown, the closing or stitching tool is mounted for yielding movement both in the direction of and perpendicular to the plane of its work-engaging periphery so that it may follow the transverse curvature of the sole margin as well as its vertical curvature in the shank. This construction in combination with a tool constructed as above described constitutes another important feature of the invention and contributes to the production of a machine capable of operating successfully upon shoes having any pronounced arch curvature.

Another feature of the invention consists in the provision of a means for guiding the closing tool by contact with the tread face of the sole. As illustrated, this means comprises a flange associated with the tool the won-engaging portion of which is flexible and is adjustably spaced from the flange.

In order that the closing tool, although guided by the tread face of the shoe being this means comprises adjustable connections for limiting the separation of the flange and the work-engaging element of the tool which are urged apart by a yielding means.

In many cases it is desirable to treat simultaneously the edges of both sides of the sole. With this in view, the present invention contemplates the provision of opposed tools arranged to progress simultaneously from the same point at the toe of the shoe along the two sides of the shoe toward the heel. Such construction offers the advantages that each tool may be shaped with particular reference to the side of the shoe upon which it is to operate; that the time of the closing operation is reduced by practically one-half as compared to the time required to pass a single tool about the entire sole margin; and that the strains upon the shoe are balanced and equalized.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view of the machine in side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of a portion of the machine showing the tools and shoe in initial operative position;

Fig. 3 is a View in front elevation, partly in section, showing the shoe in process;

Fig. 4- is asectional view of the shoe and tools in the position they occupy at substantially the ball line of the shoe;

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the tools in substantially the position they occupy in Fig. 3;

Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views of the shoe upon its last, showing respectively the sole margin unolosed and closed by the action of the tool.

The machine is herein disclosed as operating upon a tennis shoe 40 upon a last all. A foxing strip 42 of rubber has been secured in place about the margin of the shoe and a rubber sole -13 secured to the shoe bottom by cement. The condition of the shoe when it comes to the machine is indicated in Fig. 6, from which it will appear that there is a slight gap or crack between the turned-up marginal edge 44 of the sole and the surface of the foxing strip 42. The inner surface of the marginal edge. of the sole is cemented and the function of the machine is to press it firinly into contact with the foxing strip so that it will form a perfect union therewith and subsequently be vulcanized in this position.

The machine comprises a base 10 having a longitudinally extending guideway 12 on red to its upper surface. Upon the guide- Way is a carrier slide 14 having a shoe support, comprising a bar or bracket 16 ha. a at its upper free end a pair of adjustable studs 18 adapted to be inserted in holes in the last. The bracket 16 is made in two sections adjnstably secured together by bolts 17, which thus supply provision for adjusting the shoe vertically with respect to the carrier slide.

The slide 14- has an angle plate 20 secured to its upper surface and to the rear end of tl is attached a handle 22, by which the slide may be moved forwardly and rearwardly upon the guideway 12. Projecting from the plate 20 is a stud 24: provided with a pair of adjustable collars 28 and ,between which is mounted a disk 26. The disk 26 serves as a turret upon which are adjustably mounted a series of forked tools or g iges arranged to be interchangeably positioned to engage the rear end of the shoe on the support. In Figs. 1 and 5 the gauge 32 is shown as being in operative position and engages with its forked end the rear portion of the shoe 4O the marginal edge of the solo l3. The gauge addition to its function of locating the shoe, acts also as an edge-closing tool for closing the sole margin about the rear end of the shoe where it engages it. To this end, the concave face of the gauge is serrated so as to form the desired stitch impressions in the margin of the sole. The shank of the gauge 32 is slotted and adjustably secured to the turret by clamping screws 33. A second gauge 3% is similarly mounted upon the turret and is of a different contour. adapted more particularly to larger shoe than that for which the gauge 32 is intended. It will be understood that a series of these gauges may be provided upon the turret 26 and any one of them brought into operative position. as desired.

At either side of the guideway 12 is provided a stud 50, upon which is mounted for horizontal swinging movement a bar 52. Each bar, at its free end, is provided with a roller 54 with its axis radially disposed with respect to the stud 50. Each arm carries an angular bracket 56 to which is secured one end of a tension spring extend ing transversely across the machine frame 10 and secured to a stationary stud therein. The action of the springs 58 is. therefore. to tend always to swing the bars 52 inwardly toward the guideway 12.

ecured to each stud 50 is a pair of cars 60. hot en which is pivotally mounted a bar 62 g a compression spring 64- interposed betwee itself and the bar so that the b r (32 is maintained ie .inglv in an eleva d pos t on but is free to be depressed compr ion of the spring 64.. carrier for one of nd it will be apparent .1 ins: end is arranged .y in a horizontal plane or 58 and yieldiugly in or heightwise of the shoe against the compression of the spring 64.

The edge-closing tool is mounted for rotation substantially in the plane of the sole upon a rotatable spindle projecting upwardly from the carrier bar 62 and includes a rotatable block 72 and a yielding edge-contact member 74. The block 72 carries an outwardly and downwardly extending flange 76 which is adapted to engage the sole of the shoe as the latter is presented to the edgeclosing tools and to guide the projecting margin of the sole into position between itself and the edge-contactmember 74. In this position the flange 7 6 underliesthe sole 43 of the shoe and so determines the vertical position of the edge-closing tool with reference to the tread surface of the sole. The edgeclosing tool is arranged to be turned by con tact with the shoe and, to this end, its periphery is specially shaped. As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, one side of each tool is flat so that the tools may be brought into abutting relation in their initial position, in which the active faces of both tools constitute a substantially continuous edge-closing face. hen the shoe is advanced into contact with the edge-closing tools, they act to close the margin of the sole beginning at a point at the extreme toe end of the shoe.

The edge-contact member 74 of each tool comprises a stiff strip 7 8 of sheet material with a yieldable covering and is roughly of horseshoe shape. being disposed initially with its legs in abutting relation. It is yieldably mounted upon the block 72 by springs 82 which surround bolts 84 having wing nuts 86 at their upper end. The bolts 84 are set in the blocks 7 2 and extend upwardly through recesses provided for the reception of the springs 82, which bear yieldingly against the under side of the edge-contact member. The upward limit of movement of the edgecontact member 74 is adjustablydetennined by the wing nut 86. This construction affords convenient means for adjusting the edge-contact members as a whole with respect to the block 72 by which it is carried and its effective plane may be made to correspond to the contour of the shoe being opirate-d upon.

Each block 72 has a concentrically disposed recess in which is provided a torsion spring 88, secured at its upper end to a collar on the spindle TOand tending always to rotate the edge-closing tool back to its initial position and in opposition to the turning movement which is imparted to it by its contact with the shoe. The initial position of the edge-closing tool is determined by a stationary stop 89 projecting from the carrier bar 62 and cooperating with a lug or tooth projecting from a disk which is secured to the lower side of the block 7 2.

The forward part of the machine frame carries an idle roll 90 journaled between ver tical bracket members 92 and over the roll 90 runs an endless conveyor belt 94. This is brought'into close proximity to the edge-closing tools so that a shoe having been passed between them and completely operated upon by the machine may be conveniently dropped upon the belt and so carried away.

The operation of the machine will be apparent from the foregoing description but may be summarized as follows: With the carrier slide 14 positioned at the extreme right end of the guideway 12, as shown in Fig. 1, the shoe 40 is positioned upon the support 16 with its heel end located by the gauge 82. The operator then grasps the handle 22 and advances the slide, carrying the toe of the shoe into engagement with the edge-closing tools which, as indicated in Fig. 2, occupy their initial abutting position. Edge-closing pressure is thereupon exerted upon the toe and heel ends of the sole margin. As the shoe continues to be pressed forwardly, the

edge-clcsing tools which are pivoted on axes.

outside the line of pressure begin to turn and roll from the original point of contact at the end of the toe along the opposite sides of the shoe. In this operation a continuous uniform transverse pressure is maintained by the springs 58. The flange 76 of each tool guides it vertically so that it will rise and fall against the pressure of the spring 64 and follow the vertical contour of the shoe bottom, being depressed as it advances along the forepart, then rising into the arch of the shank, and finally being depressed again as it passes about the counter portion of--the shoe and runs ofi over the forks of the rear gauge 30. The'shoe'having been advanced completely between the edge-closing tools is disengaged from the studs 18 and dropped upon the conveyor belt 94 by which it leaves the machine.

After the shoe has been deposited upon the conveyor belt 94 and as the support is moved rearwardly, the springs 88. which pre vi-ously have been tensioned by the rotation of the tools in rolling from the toe to the heel portion of the shoe, cause a reverse rotation of the tools whereby they are returned to their original position, the fiat sides thereof being held in abutting relation by the springs 58.

The edge-closing tool is herein shown as having a yielding cushion edge which for certain types of work is very effective in closing the sole margin. It will be apparent that the construction of the illustrated edge-contact member may be varied in accordance with the type of shoes being operated upon and the character of the operation it is desired to perform.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine for operating on rubber soled shoes, having in combination, a shoe support, and a pair of oppositely disposed tools shaped to engage and close the marginal edges of the sole of a shoe thereon, said support and tools being relatively movable to cause each of the tools progressively to operate on one side of the forepart and shank portions of the sole from the same point at the toe to the heel thereof.

2. A machine for operating on rubber soled shoes, having in combination, a shoe support, a rotatable tool mounted for relative heightwise and transverse movement and shaped to close the marginal edge of the sole of a shoe thereon, and means for maintaining the axis of said tool substantially perpendicular to the general plane of tie sole, said support and tool being relatively movable to cause the tool progressively to operate on the forepart and shank portions of the sole.

3. A machine for operating on rubber soled shoes having, in combination, a pair of sole edge closing tools arranged normally to abut each other, and a support movable to carry a shoe thereon into engagement with and between said tools, said tools being shaped so that a sole edge presented thereto is caused to contact with contiguous points on the re spective tools simultaneously.

4:. A machine for operating on rubber soled shoes, having in combination, a shoe support. a tool shaped to close the marginal edge of the sole of a shoe thereon and mounted to swing heightwise and transversely thereof in accordance with changes in contour of the sole edge. and means for maintaining the point of engagement of said tool with the sole edge at a predetermined distance from the tread face thereof.

5. A machine for operating on rubber soled shoes, having in combination, a shoe support, a tool shaped to close the marginal edge of the sole of a shoe thereon and mounted adjacent to the support for yielding pivotal movement about axes disposed at substantially right angles to each other. whereby, upon relative longitudinal movement of the shoe and tool, the tool will progressively operate along the marginal edge of the sole from the toe past the curved arch of the shank.

6. A machine of the class described. having in comb nation. a support for locating and longitudinally moving a shoe with rubberized sole attached, a sole edge closing tool adjacent to the path of the shoe mounted for rotation about an axis substantially perpendicular to the sole. and a yielding mounting for said tool, whereby it may travel along the edge of the sole following its curvature in both directions upon a relative movement of the shoe and the tool.

7. A machine of the class described, having in combination, a support for locating and longitudinally moving a shoe with rubberized sole attached, a tool mounted for rotation substantially in the plane of the sole. means for yieldingly supporting said tool for movement vertically and transversely of the sole, whereby it may follow the curvature of the margin of the sole, and means for guiding said tool from the tread surface thereof.

8. In a machine for closing sole edges, a tool mounted to turn in contact with the sole edge and having its periphery curved irregularly to follow the curvature 6f the sole edge.

9. In a machine for closing sole edges, a tool mounted to turn about an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane of the sole and having a straight portion and a curved portion in its periphery adapted for engagement with the sole edge.

.0. In a machine for closing sole edges, a tool having a flange for engaging the tread surface of the sole, and a spaced edge-contact member maintained yieldingly in predetermined relation to the flange.

11. In a machine for closing sole edges, a sole edge closing tool having a flange for engaging the tread surface of the sole, said tool being arranged to turn in contact with the sole margin and having a yielding periphery, and means for controlling said tool with respect to the flange thereby to cause the periphcry of the tool to follow the arch curvature of the sole upon a relative movement of the tool and the shoe.

12. A machine for operating on rubber soled shoes having, in combination. a sole edge closing tool, a shoe support movable to pre sent a shoe sole to the tool whereby the tool is caused progressively to roll along the sole edge, and means for reversing the rolling movement of the tool at the end of an edge closing operation thereby to return the tool to its original position.

13. A machine for operating on rubber soled shoes having, in combination, a shoe support, a sole edge closing tool successive portions of the work engaging surface of which are adapted for operating on corresponding successive portions of the sole edge, said support and tool being mounted for relative movement whereby the tool is caused to roll along the sole edge, and means for resisting therolling of the tool constructed and arranged to return the tool to its original position at the end of sole closing operation.

14. A machine for closing the sole edges of rubber soled shoes, having in combination, a shoe support including means for interchangeably supporting a plurality of heel treating tools of diflt'erent contour, and a sole edge closing tool movable relatively to said support about the edge of the sole.

'15. A machine of the class described, having in combination, a sole-edge closing tool mounted to yield in the direction of and perpendicular to the plane of its work engaging face, and a slide movable relatively to said tool and having a shoe support with provision for adjustment whereby the marginal edge of the sole of a shoe thereon may be located with respect to said tool.

16. A machine for operating on rubber soled shoes, having in combination, a shoe support, and a pair of rotatable sole-edge closing tools movable relatively to the support upon opposite sides of shoe thereon, each of said tools being mounted for in dependent yielding movement transversely with respect to the shoe and also perpendicularly to the plane of its sole.

17. A machine for operating on rubber soled shoes, having in combination, a shoe support, a bar pivotally mounted to swing transversely with respect to a shoe upon said support and being normally urged toward the shoe, a second bar pivotally mounted upon the first for movement perpendicularly to the plane of the shoe sole, and a sole-edge closing tool rotatably mounted upon the free end of said second bar.

18. A machine of the class described, having in combination, a pair of normally abutting sole-edge closing tools and a shoe support relatively movable to carry the shoe between the tools, said tools each being conveXly shaped in such a manner as to form when in abutting relation a continuous soleedge closing surface, successive portions of each of which tools are adapted for rolling engagement with corresponding successive portions of the sole edge of the shoe from the same point at the toe rearwardly.

19. A machine of the class described, having in combination, a shoe support, a pair of sole-edge tools mounted to yield in the direction of and perpendicular to the plane of the operative face thereof movable relatively to the support and each pivotally mounted to turn about an axis substantially perpendicular to the sole of the shoe and being so located as first to engage the toe end of the sole and then roll along its side marginal edges.

20. A machine of the class described, having in combination, a sole-edge tool having substantially straight and convex work engaging surfaces, and a shoe support movable relatively thereto to bring the sole margin of a shoe at the toe into engagement with said tool at the straight portion thereof, said tool and support being thereafter relatively movable to cause the convex portion of the tool to roll along the edges of the sole at the forepart and shank thereof.

21. A machine of the class described, having in combination, a pair of sole-edge tools pivotally mounted to turn about adjacent axes and each having a flat portion in its periphery adapting the tools to form a substantially continuous operative face when brought into abutting relation, means for presenting a shoe to the tools, and means for guiding said tools arranged to contact with the tread face of the sole.

22. A machine of the class described, having in combination, a pair of sole-edge tools, each including an edge-contact member and a spaced inclined flange for engaging the tread face of the sole of a shoe presented to the tools and locating the margin of the sole with reference to the tools, and means for advancing a shoe between said tools while the latter travel along the side marginal edges of the sole with the flanges in contact with its tread face.

23. A machine for operating on rubber soled shoes, having in combination, a shoe support carrying a closing tool adapted for engagement with the heel of a shoe thereon, a closing tool arranged to be turned by contact A with the sole as the support and the lastmentioned tool are relatively moved to cause a transfer of the point of operation of the last-mentioned tool on the sole toward the heel thereof, and means resisting the turning of said last-mentioned closing tool whereby a pressure is caused between said heel closing tool and the snoe to effect the closing of the sole edge at the heel.

24. A machine for operating on rubber soled shoes, having in combination, a guideway, a shoe carrier slide arranged to reciprocate thereon, a pair of arms pivotally mounted at either side of the guideway for movement toward and from a shoe in the carrier and heightwise thereof, and a sole-edge closing tool rotatably mounted in the free end of each arm arranged to roll along the sole edge at opposite sides of the sole upon a reciprocation of said carrier slide.

25. A machine of the class described, having in combination a sole-edge tool, a shoe support movable relatively to the tool to cause it to travel along the sole edge, said tool being arranged to be turned by contact with the sole and having its periphery shaped in accordance with the contour of the sole edge, and means resisting the turning of said tool for restoring it to its original position when separated from the sole.

26 In a machine for closing sole edges, a tool mounted to be turned by contact with the periphery of a sole, a means associated with said tool for guiding the latter by contact with the tread face of the sole, and connections between said means and tool for adjustably limiting their separation.

27. In a machine for closing sole edges, a tool having an axis about which it is turned by contact with the work, a guiding flange on said tool arranged to engage the tread face of a sole and spaced from the work engaging face of the tool, means for limiting the separation of the flange and said tool, and yielding means for urging the work engaging portion of said tool away from said flange.

28. In a machine for operating on soles, a

tool comprising a body portion mounted to turn about an axis, and a thin edge-engaging member spaced with respect to said body portion and yieldingly supported at a plurality of distributed points in its area.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FAY D. KINNEY 

